A
Hallmark
of Christianity is Joy
Maurice
J. Nutt, C.Ss.R.
“Rejoice
in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!... Have no anxiety at all.”
Philippians
4:4,6a
A
hallmark of Christianity is joy. We
believe that salvation was won by Christ's death and resurrection. Our sins have
been forgiven and hope has been restored. This belief, however, isn't always
expressed in our lives.
The
skeptic will ask, "Why should I be joyful? Our nation was terrorized last
September. The economy is uncertain. People have died of anthrax. America is at
war. Crime and violence still exist. Give me a reason for rejoicing!"
I
suggest Philippians 4:4-7.
Peace
That Surpasses Understanding
St.
Paul sets before the Philippians two great qualities of the Christian life.
The
first is joy. Imagine: This great evangelist could conjure up thoughts of joy
while lying in prison facing possible death. Paul's concern was not with his own
peril but with the Christians in Philippi. They were setting out on the
Christian way and Paul knew that dangers and persecutions lay ahead.
Nonetheless,
Paul asserts (and I paraphrase), "I know what I'm saying. I've thought of
everything that can possibly happen. And I still say, rejoice!" Christian
joy is independent of all things on earth because it has its source in the
continual presence of Christ.
Secondly,
in verse five, Paul writes, "Your kindness should be known to all."
The Greek word for kindness is epieikeia. It is difficult to translate epieikeia.
The Greeks explained it as "justice and something better than
justice." Epieikeia basically means that a person knows when not to apply
the strict letter of the law, to introduce mercy.
Christians,
as Paul sees it, know that there is something beyond justice. They know that
something is God's mercy. We rejoice because justice demands what we truly
deserve, but epieikeia looks beyond to meet us in our need.
For
the Philippians, life was bound to be a "worrying" thing. Besides
life's normal cares, they also worried about the threat of death because they
were now Christians. Paul tells them that the result of believing prayer is that
"the peace of God that
This
peace is so precious that the mind, with all its skill, can never produce it.
It's only of God's giving.
Rather
than rejoicing after we have received a blessing, we are called to confidence
that we shall be blessed! The result of such joy is victory over the oppressive
situations we face as we enter into the abundant life.
Victorious
and abundant life is the blessing we get from rejoicing. The primal purpose is
recreated. We return to where we were created to be, where Adam and Eve were
before the Fall, where Jesus was after the Resurrection.
When
God has intervened in our lives, we cannot explain what has happened. All we
know is that the space we thought was cluttered with debris and rubble has been
cleared.
Be
sure that nothing you face in life is too hard for God. Be free of your worry
and doubt. We are renewed, revived and ready to rejoice!
Biblical
Background
Paul's
Letter to the Philippians is often described as three letters in one: a letter
of thanks, thoughts from prison and a scolding. Philippians 4:4-7 is from the
most important part of this letter, which also includes 1:1—3:1 and 4:21-23,
written from prison.
He
has heard that the Philippians, in the Roman province of Macedonia (now part of
Greece), are taking a lot of grief for their beliefs. Their moral strength is
also being tested by internal tensions and squabbles.
This
letter, perhaps Paul's warmest and most pastoral communication, is full of good
cheer, which especially inspires when his circumstances are recalled. This is
definitely a letter written to friends.
Reprinted
with permission.The
Bible: Light to My Path February
2002
ST
ANTHONY MESSENGER
Four
persons who've studied the Bible in depth will contribute to this column in
2002. Each month, one author will choose a passage that comforts, challenges or
seems neglected. He or she will explain how to apply this passage and connect it
to everyday life. This month's guide: Maurice J. Nutt, C.Ss.R., is a
Redemptorist priest with a D.Min. in preaching from Aquinas Institute of
Theology. He is pastor of St. Alphonsus "Rock" Church in St. Louis,
Missouri, as well as a revival and mission preacher and retreat director. Our
panel also includes: Barbara Leonhard, O.S.F.